1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process for the direct reduction of metal oxide to powder particles of the metal in an arc heated plasma gas.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the metal fabrication industry there is a sustained need for metal powders. For example, there is an increasingly large demand for powders used in the fabrication of small refractory metal items.
It is desirable to produce the metal powder from an ore which is provided in a finely divided form so that the metal is produced in a small particle form and is thereby available for fabrication of small parts. Prior attempts to produce metal powder in the desired form directly from metal ore have been less than satisfactory.